Figure 1.--This CDV portrait shows an unidentified boy with a top curl wearing a black velvet jacket and vest with a tartan kilt or sjirt. We are not sure how to describe the outfit. Velvet jackets were worn with Highlsnd kilts. But we do not see any other Highland items like a Scottish bonnet or sporan. Notice the straw hat on the chair. And the plaid garment looks more like a skirt than a kilt. The outfit is completed with pantalettes, white socks, and high-top shoes. The studio was Stone in Tenby, a town located in southern Wales. The portrait was taken August 25, 1869. He looks to be 4-5 years old.

There are two basic types of kilt outfits worn by boys. The first type of kilt is the Highland kilt most notable in Scotland and popularized by Queen Victoria and the royal family. This is the true kilt as worn in Scotland, but we see it beinh worn throughout the United Kingdom. The second type of kilt is the kilt suit, more commonly worn in America than in either Scotland or England. Many would not consider this a true kilt. We notice that both these garments were worn in England and we suspect that conventions were very similar in Wales. Other clothing trends were similar. Given our small Welsh archives, however, we can not yet make any valid assessments of Welsh trends and conventions. Thus the images we have found may well be simply a reflection of English fashion trends inspired by Queen Victoria than Celtic-related trend of wearing kilts or other skirted garments in Wales.

Highland Kilt

The first type of kilt is the Highland kilt most notable in Scotland and popularized by Queen Victoria and the royal family. This is the true kilt as worn in Scotland, but we see it beinh worn throughout the United Kingdom. While this was a Scottish style, Queen Victoria made it popular throughout the United Kingdom. We see English boys, mostly boys from well-to-do families wearing Highland kilt outfits when dressing up. Higland kilt outfits were expensive. Wales was a poorer part of Britain. Thus there would have been fewer boys wearing Highland kilts than in Scotland and England.

Kilt Suits

The second type of kilt outfit is the kilt suit, more commonly worn in America than in either Scotland or England. We note a huge number of American boys wearing kilt suits. Many would not consider this a true kilt. We also notice English boys esring kilt suits. It was not a chaacteristic Welsh or Scottish garment. Just a popular fashion during the second half of the 19th century. We suspect that conventions were very similar in Wales to those in England. Other 19th century clothing trends were similar in England and Wales, especially for boys. Women and girls were still wearing folkmstyles at the beginning of thev19th century, but that had begun to decline by the mid-19th century. Given our small Welsh archives, however, we can not yet make any valid assessments of Welsh trends and conventions. Thus the images we have found may well be simply a reflection of English fashion trends inspired by Queen Victoria than Celtic-related trend of wearing kilts or other skirted garments in Wales.

Related Style Pages in the Boys' Historical Web Site
[Lace collar types] [Knicker suits] [Knee pants] [Short pants suits] [Socks] [Eton suits]
[Jacket and trousers] [Tunic] [School sandals] [Flat caps] [Sailor suits] [Pinafores] [Three-quarter socks] [Strap shoes]

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Created: 12:34 PM 10/13/2014
Last updated: 10:22 PM 2/28/2019